NameCensus.

UK surname

Burnley

From the English place name, derived from Old English meaning "burnt clearing" or "clearing by a stream."

In the 1881 census there were 623 people recorded with the Burnley surname, ranking it #5,674 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 564, ranked #9,103, down from #5,674 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Calverley, Birstall and Batley. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Wakefield and Selby.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Burnley is 764 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 9.5%.

1881 census count

623

Ranked #5,674

Modern count

564

2016, ranked #9,103

Peak year

1911

764 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Burnley had 623 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,674 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 564 in 2016, ranked #9,103.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 764 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Burnley surname distribution map

The map shows where the Burnley surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Burnley surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Burnley over time

The table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.

Year Period Count Rank
1851 historical 438 #5,615
1861 historical 602 #4,399
1881 historical 623 #5,674
1891 historical 663 #5,863
1901 historical 699 #6,295
1911 historical 764 #5,664
1997 modern 608 #8,068
1998 modern 632 #8,086
1999 modern 629 #8,168
2000 modern 624 #8,197
2001 modern 602 #8,280
2002 modern 614 #8,316
2003 modern 604 #8,283
2004 modern 606 #8,286
2005 modern 580 #8,470
2006 modern 558 #8,723
2007 modern 569 #8,681
2008 modern 566 #8,772
2009 modern 568 #8,944
2010 modern 600 #8,787
2011 modern 577 #8,942
2012 modern 565 #8,993
2013 modern 580 #8,955
2014 modern 586 #8,954
2015 modern 567 #9,082
2016 modern 564 #9,103

Geography

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Where Burnleys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Calverley, Birstall, Batley, Wakefield and Bradford. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Wakefield and Selby. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Calverley Yorkshire, West Riding
2 Birstall Yorkshire, West Riding
3 Batley Yorkshire, West Riding
4 Wakefield Yorkshire, West Riding
5 Bradford Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Wakefield 022 Wakefield
2 Wakefield 015 Wakefield
3 Wakefield 020 Wakefield
4 Selby 010 Selby
5 Wakefield 018 Wakefield

Forenames

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First names often paired with Burnley

These lists show first names that appear often with the Burnley surname in historical and recent records.

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Burnley

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Burnley, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.

These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.

The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.

UK neighbourhood type

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Rural Amenity

Nationally, the Burnley surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Burnley household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Burnley is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Burnley is most concentrated in decile 9 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier end of the index.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

9
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Burnley falls in decile 1 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Burnley is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Burnley, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Burnley

The surname Burnley originated in England, with records of the name dating back to the 12th century. It is believed to have derived from the place name Burnley, a town in Lancashire, England. The name itself is thought to come from the Old English words "burne" meaning a small stream, and "leah" meaning a meadow or clearing.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Burnley can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Lancashire from 1193, where a person named Adam de Burnley is mentioned. The Pipe Rolls were a series of financial records maintained by the English Exchequer during the medieval period.

In the 13th century, the surname Burnley appeared in the Assize Rolls of Yorkshire from 1246, which were legal records of the time. This suggests that the name had spread from its original location in Lancashire to neighboring areas.

The Burnley surname is also documented in the Feet of Fines, which were legal records of land transfers and agreements. In 1332, a John de Burnley is mentioned in the Feet of Fines for Yorkshire.

During the 14th century, the name appears in various records, including the Poll Tax Returns of Yorkshire from 1379, where a William Burnley is listed.

Notable individuals with the surname Burnley throughout history include:

1. Sir Thomas Burnley (c. 1350 - 1429), an English judge and Chief Justice of the King's Bench during the reign of Henry IV. 2. Robert Burnley (c. 1410 - 1485), an English clergyman who served as the Bishop of Bath and Wells from 1475 until his death. 3. William Burnley (1781 - 1876), an English civil engineer known for his work on canals and railways in the early 19th century. 4. James Burnley (1870 - 1949), an English footballer who played for Blackburn Rovers and represented England at international level. 5. John Burnley (1905 - 1980), an English cricketer who played first-class cricket for Lancashire and also represented England in Test matches.

The surname Burnley has strong ties to the town of Burnley in Lancashire, and its origins can be traced back to the Old English words describing the local geography. Throughout history, the name has been documented in various legal and administrative records, reflecting its presence across different regions of England.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Burnley families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Burnley surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Yorkshire leads with 516 Burnleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 8.57x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 516 8.57x
Lancashire 45 0.62x
Middlesex 17 0.28x
Surrey 12 0.41x
Staffordshire 5 0.24x
Nottinghamshire 4 0.49x
Cheshire 3 0.22x
Durham 3 0.17x
Suffolk 3 0.41x
Worcestershire 3 0.38x
Devon 2 0.16x
Gloucestershire 2 0.17x
Kent 2 0.10x
Midlothian 2 0.25x
Cumberland 1 0.19x
Essex 1 0.08x
Glamorgan 1 0.09x
Royal Navy 1 1.38x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Batley in Yorkshire leads with 80 Burnleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 139.79x.

Place Total Index
Batley 80 139.79x
Idle 45 161.17x
Hunslet 25 26.62x
Heckmondwike 21 108.42x
Stanley Cum Wrenthorpe 21 75.05x
Dewsbury 20 32.38x
Soothill 20 91.95x
Flockton 17 691.06x
Lepton 16 254.37x
Manningham 16 21.57x
Huddersfield 15 17.10x
Wakefield 14 30.28x
Alverthorpe Cum Thornes 12 54.87x
Eccleshill 12 81.86x
Leeds 11 3.23x
Bowling 10 16.76x
Bradford 10 6.86x
Holbeck 10 25.06x
Cleckheaton 9 40.58x
Farnworth 9 20.83x
Gildersome 9 124.31x
Horton In Bradford 9 9.57x
Ripon 9 64.42x
Liversedge 8 29.84x
Darfield 7 127.74x
Gomersal 7 24.90x
Rawdon 7 98.73x
Pontefract 6 46.26x
Armley 5 18.83x
Camberwell 5 1.29x
Falsgrave 5 56.37x
Kensington London 5 1.48x
Shipley 5 16.00x
Warmfield Cum Heath 5 246.31x
Ashton Under Lyne 4 2.54x
Barrow In Furness 4 4.08x
Bethnal Green London 4 1.52x
Broughton In Salford 4 6.07x
Glass Houghton 4 183.49x
Great Bolton 4 4.19x
Methley 4 47.17x
Mirfield 4 12.10x
Oldham 4 1.72x
Ossett Cum Gawthorpe 4 18.60x
Stone 4 15.24x
Farnsfield 3 138.25x
Holy Trinity 3 2.07x
Kirkdale 3 2.47x
Linthorpe 3 8.35x
Litherland 3 19.89x
Lowestoft 3 8.58x
Northowram 3 7.10x
Rotherhithe 3 4.00x
Wandsworth 3 5.13x
West Derby 3 1.42x
Adel Cum Eccup 2 80.32x
Almondbury 2 6.87x
Clifton 2 3.32x
Darlington 2 2.87x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 2 0.61x
Hartshead 2 74.07x
Kexborough 2 155.04x
Lindley Cum Quarmby 2 13.17x
North Meols 2 2.83x
Plymouth Charles The 2 3.59x
St Anne Soho London 2 5.76x
St Pancras London 2 0.41x
Stayley 2 13.05x
Stourbridge 2 9.79x
Worsley 2 4.50x
Greenwich 1 1.03x
Hackney London 1 0.29x
Macclesfield 1 1.68x
Newark Upon Trent 1 3.40x
Royal Navy 1 1.62x
Soyland 1 13.85x
Tottenham 1 1.03x
Wolverhampton 1 0.63x
Woodford 1 7.36x
Woolwich 1 1.31x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Burnley surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
Mary 43
Sarah 30
Elizabeth 19
Annie 16
Martha 13
Jane 11
Ann 10
Emily 10
Emma 10
Hannah 10
Harriet 7
Lucy 7
Ada 6
Alice 6
Ellen 6
Clara 5
Eliza 4
Fanny 4
Ruth 4
Betsy 3
Betty 3
Charlotte 3
E. 3
Ethel 3
Grace 3
Kate 3
Louisa 3
Lydia 3
Margaret 3
Susan 3
Susannah 3
Amelia 2
Amy 2
Catherine 2
Florance 2
Florence 2
Frances 2
Lilian 2
Maryan 2
Rachel 2
Rebecca 2
Cathrine 1
Christiana 1
Elizth 1
Katherine 1
Laura 1
Lavinia 1
Lelita 1
Lettia 1
Thomas 1

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Burnley surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
John 32
Joseph 20
William 20
George 17
James 16
Arthur 12
Henry 11
Thomas 11
Samuel 9
Ernest 7
Isaac 7
Walter 7
Benjamin 6
Edwin 5
Alfred 4
David 4
Frank 4
Frederick 4
Harry 4
Robert 4
Tom 4
Abraham 3
Charles 3
Edward 3
Herbert 3
Jacob 3
Joshua 3
Wm. 3
Albert 2
Benj. 2
Francis 2
Fred 2
Joe 2
Michael 2
Priestley 2
Saml. 2
Artha 1
Arther 1
Benjeman 1
Benjimain 1
Benjman 1
Bentley 1
Denby 1
Dyson 1
E. 1
Edgar 1
Horace 1
Irving 1
Israel 1
J.W. 1

FAQ

Burnley surname: questions and answers

How common was the Burnley surname in 1881?

In 1881, 623 people were recorded with the Burnley surname. That placed it at #5,674 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Burnley surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 564 in 2016. That gives Burnley a modern rank of #9,103.

What does the Burnley surname mean?

From the English place name, derived from Old English meaning "burnt clearing" or "clearing by a stream."

What does the Burnley map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Burnley bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.